Utopia Management Inc

Staff is very friendly and extremely competentProperty owners can rest assured their properties are being well taken care ofThey also do their best to make the rental experience a positive one for their tenants within hours maintenance, ability to submit rent and requests online through a tenant portal, etcExcellent management company

Date: 3/23/To: *** ***,
"">Revdex.com San Diego, Orange & Imperial Counties
From: Patricia Terry, Utopia Management
Re: Complaint
Regarding *** ***'s complaint, I wanted to provide you with status We reached out directly to *** the day the complaint was filed I personally went out to the home to inspect the issues that were reported and put in a request for work to be done per the tenant's specifications Based on our research, Ms***'s complaint the result of a breakdown in communication between our maintenance coordinator and the tech assigned to originally complete the work After my visit, work was done within hours and upon contacting Ms***, we were advised that we had satisfactorily resolved the issue

I have reviewed and researched the referenced claimMs***’s account, as
are all our other accounts, was set up with a $maintenance work order limitThis means that should her tenant submit a maintenance request we are able to spend up to $to make reasonable efforts to resolve the reported issueMs*** states that she expressed that she would like to be informed of all maintenance prior to any work being completed and goes on to say that these items that she is disputing were never pre-authorizedContractually, Ms*** has given us the power and authority to make repairs to her home as neededWhile we try our best to accommodate the maintenance preferences of all our property owners, we may not always be able to do so depending on the circumstances under which the repairs are reportedAdditionally, Ms*** did not make the request to pre-approve all maintenance until May 2, It was at this point that we made the necessary notes in her file that she wishes to be contacted for any maintenance requests from that point onAt this time it is Utopia Management’s position that a refund for work completed is not appropriateNot only due to the reasons listed above, but also due to the nature of the maintenance that was requestedThe items requested were considered urgent in that they posed a threat to the property and to the safety of the tenantThe items that were remedied included: repair of broken window, repair of a leak under the kitchen sink, repair and maintenance of faulty sliding glass doors, repair of damaged mirrored closet doors (deemed urgent since the framing of the glass was coming apart posing a risk of breakage)We also cleared drains that were clogged with hair from the previous occupant, and replaced deteriorated caulking around the sinks that was causing water damage to cabinets beneathWe did not frivolously make repairs; rather we made repairs in the best interest of the managed property and the tenantWe extend our apologies for any confusion or inconvenience this may have causedWe have made note, as of May 2, when it was requested, to contact the property owner in advance of making r sWe will honor this request to the best of our capabilities
Sincerely,
Utopia Managemetn

To whom it may concern:
When a new owner signs on with Utopia Management to manage their property, their is a managerial contract that is signed by all parties as to how to handle the potential unfortunate situation if a new tenant should not pay
Unfortunately this tenant proved to be a non-paying tenant at the end of his contract Utopia worked with the owner, through what had been laid out in the contract, and acted appropriate to that end It was not the best situation to navigate through when a tenant stops paying the rent, but the management agreement sets out the road map that was followed All protocols that needed to be followed were done so correctly and in accordance with the managerial contract We understand the frustration of ownership but at no time did Utopia act outside of the initial road map of the contract
Here is the section of the signed management agreement in which the Owner who wrote this complaint is now not agreeing to.
a) Other Compensation. Owner acknowledges and agrees Utopia may: 1.) receive fees and charges from tenants for (i) requesting an assignment of lease or sublease of the Managed Property; (ii) processing credit applications; (iii) returned checks; (iv) late rent; (v) verification of rent; and (vi) other services that are not in conflict with this Agreement; 2.) perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise including products and services for the Managed Property, through independent contractors or affiliated companies or organizations in which Utopia may own an interest, and Utopia and/or the affiliated companies or organizations may receive fees, commissions, and/or profits arising from such products and services; and 3.) receive fees, gifts, rebates or other compensation from Utopia’s vendors in connection with products or services performed for the Managed Property or pursuant to this Agreement (e.gcarpet, painting, window covering, plumbing, pool, trash and insurance products and services)Owner acknowledges and agrees Utopia may allocate and account for compensation, fees, and charges due under this Agreement, in any manner acceptable to Utopia including but not limited to business development expenseOwner agrees to pay Utopia a Vendor Service Fee of ten percent (10%) of the total invoiced amount for all non-recurring work performed by outside vendors as coordinated by Utopia. Utopia, at its sole and absolute discretion and without any obligation to do so, may attempt to collect money from delinquent former tenant(s) no longer residing or no longer having a right to reside at the Managed Property. Utopia may make arrangements with Owner to allocate and distribute a portion of receipts from collection accounts at Utopia’s discretion. After the Termination Date, all rights and benefits to collect money from delinquent former tenant(s) of the Managed Property as of the Termination Date are hereby automatically assigned to Utopia without any obligation of Utopia to seek collection
Thank you,
Palm Springs Property Manager
*** ***
***
*** Cell
*** Office

Utopia Management Inc team approached me where they discussed fees and what Utopia Management Inc as a company could offerIt wasn't long before I instructed them to lease my apartment and they found me tenants within days of this initial meeting; just as they had said they wouldAltogether, trustworthy people and a pleasure to deal with at the same time

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Regards,
*** ***
From the mo
inspection results emailed to me (dated January 24), MrsS*** ***
indicated, using her exact words, the home had only “a few minor issues” to
include the kitchen drawers, bathtub, and carpet next to entry. For some reason now, she indicates that every
room in the home required a major deep clean.
I’ve asked for an explanation since March 2nd why there is a
discrepancy between her initial assessment and her claim now, including any
documentation to justify her claim, but I have not received any feedback
Based on her initial assessment
I authorized a $work limit. I was
never given any indication that Utopia believed the home required any
additional work, other than the “minor issues” identified. The scope of work that was charged to my
account was in the amount of $for bedrooms, baths and sqft of
carpet. The scope of work should have
been only to address the “minor issues” identified by MrsS*** ***
I was never given any notification
that Utopia was going to disregard my direction and move forward with cleaning
of the complete home. I did not find out
that unnecessary work had been authorized by Utopia until March 2nd,
when the monthly statement was released.
They chose to take unilateral action without properly informing me or
consulting with me their intentions
Utopia has the right to
exercise with “absolute discretion” to “Make or cause to be made repairs,
improvements”. If they chose to exercise
that right without my consultation they are liable for the decisions they
make. The contract indicates Utopia is
required to “Use reasonable diligence in the performance of this
Agreement”. They failed to consult with
me their decision to go forward with unnecessary work and were reckless in
their management processes
If Utopia insists that
their contract gives them unrestricted authority to make decisions without my
consultation I submit that they are in violation of State Law. Unless Utopia clarifies their processes to
ensure I am included in all future decisions that results in a charge to my
operating funds, my intention is to file a complaint with the California Department
of Consumer Affairs, the Consumer Affairs Department at the San Diego County
District Attorney's Office, as well as informing the California Bureau of Real
Estate of their business practice
I do appreciate the work
that Mrs*** *** and Mrs*** *** has provided thus far, but
I strongly feel that I need a team that is more careful in how they manage my expenses
At this
point I feel the need to move forward with a new team

Very friendly team,always give helpful advises,very quick response and brilliant in advising as well,all round good communication and service thanks Utopia Management Inc an enjoyable experience with some very polite and happy people

[redacted], We managed your property for over a Year and yes during that time were required to make some repairs. These repairs were made in a professional manner, the hours spent on the job were monitored and accounted for. Our labor rates highly competitive and are in fact below San Diego...

average for plumbing and maintenance. Each month on the 1st of the month you were sent an owners statement detailing any money received on your account as well as noted on work performed and copies of all invoices for bills paid. Any questions you had on what was spent were promptly and explanations given. When a tenant moves out if takes a period of time to inspect the unit, fix any items that were broken and prepare the tenants itemized deposit. Our contract states that you as an owner hold the security deposit and owner statements show that you did receive funds after the tenant moved in. Despite us showing you the proof of this you still refused to believe we sent you were the deposit despite our records and contract showing this. After the tenant security deposit disposition was completed and ready to be sent out and prior to the due date it needed to be sent out, we attempted contact to discuss and received no response. After the deposit was sent out we notified you again that additional funds need to be sent to the tenant for total amount they were due. You refused to send in any funds so we sent the tenants what funds we had and notified you how much additional you needed to send. The reason additional funds were needed was because an item needed to be repaired that could not be legally deducted from the tenants deposit. As your property Manager it is our job to let you know what you can and cannot charge a tenant for after they move out. This is to protect you from a tenant suing you for deductions from their deposit that are not allowed. Despite what we told you, you decided to tell the tenants that you would be taking out of their deposit Items you are not legally allowed to take out. As a Management Company we went above and beyond in our explanations and had myself as manager and the accounting the department talk to you on the phone as well as through e-mails explaining everything.Thank you, [redacted] and [redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
This is my response to theirs:I have attached 3 files. On the "owner packet" file, please see the dates that the charges took place on page 1 and on the last page, please see "exceeds maintenance limit" under details.  On the "bill..." file, please see what ultimately was done. On the "response..." file, please see details of why I'm not satisfied. This is my rebuttal to utopia's response in which it's addressed to them.Thank you for your time.
Regards,
[redacted]
Your response unfortunately paints an erroneous picture of a property owner who seems to be withholding heat from his tenants. Please allow me to elaborate on the situation so you can fully appreciate your company’s misconduct. I received notice of the heater repair request on 11/16/15 and I replied immediately on the same day only authorizing someone to go and inspect the matter. I questioned why I was getting so many repair requests for the same issues such as the A/C & heater or garbage disposal. I received a follow-up email on 11/18/15 stating that a vendor was sent out there and I will be contacted once they inspect the situation. However, I never received any follow up after that correspondence until I received a charge for $507.75 on 12/23/15 for A/C and Heat repair and $50.78 for "Vendor service fee - markup of a/c and heat repair.” Perhaps a technical error could have explained the lack of communication so I requested that I be forwarded the email notifications of the repairs required with the estimated charges but your staff couldn’t generate it for me. This illustrated that you never even attempted to contact me. If I had been told that it would cost ~$560 to replace a thermostat and filter, I most definitely would have declined and found my own vendor. So why did I receive a bill more than a month after the initial request without further follow-up? Why is the bill over $500 for simply checking the possible issues and ultimately replacing a thermostat and a filter that can easily be purchased for $30- 40 each? Most importantly, why wasn't I given the opportunity to approve or decline the work? Due to a history of suspicious charges, I emailed your staff on 10/28/15 stating that "from now on, please be advised that no work orders should be done without my approval, regardless of the dollar amount." Your staff acknowledged this request of mine but evidently didn’t think it was relevant as they decided that it was in my best interested to be oblivious of any maintenance work being done to my property and just approve all work orders regardless of the dollar amount. It’s quite convenient for you to hide behind your “Professional Management Agreeement” citing that you have the right and the power to “Make or cause to be made repairs, improvements, alterations, and decorations to the Managed Property.” However, this statement doesn’t mean your company has free reign to do whatever it wants without any repercussions.  Everyone has to be accountable for their own actions and in this case, I believe that you’re neglecting yours. Your staff stated, “no heat is considered an emergency. We a required to either fix the existing equipment, supply a space heaters until replacement for each living space, or provide a hotel within 24 hours.” This creates another issue because you had other options. The second option apparently worked well in the past since this wasn’t the first time the tenant reported a broken heater. On 2/6/14 while the issue was being investigated, your staff offered the tenant space heaters until the matter was resolved but I was informed that they never even picked it up. Evidently, this wasn’t as much of an emergency to the tenant as it was to your staff.  Regardless, your company still had options no matter how "limited" those choices were. Instead, your company decided to completely ignore my requests and disregard what has worked in the past such as offering the tenant space heaters and chose to not inform me approve work that was unauthorized. Additionally, a frost advisory is between 33-36°F. On 11/16/15 when the tenant reported the most recent broken heater, the low was 59°F and on 2/6/14 when the tenant reported the initial broken heater, the low was 55°F. If on 2/6/14, the tenant never even picked up the space heaters when the temperatures were even lower than that of 11/16/15, why was this treated with such urgency as to ignore the tenant’s previous actions and disregard the owner's current request? Regarding the excessive cost, these are the exact words of 2 different members of your staff.“I agree with your assessment on the charges imposed by the HVAC company and will be contacting the company to dispute the cost.” “I do also agree that $500 is a bit excessive for filters and a thermostat. As you know, [redacted]  is doing her best to get the charge in a realistic amount with the vendor.”Now all of a sudden ~$560 seems appropriate to replace a thermostat and a filter? According to who? This is why maintenance limits exist. It’s to protect clients from property management companies like yourself who blatantly over charge their clients for work they never approved or even been informed of. I waited almost 6 days and it took me reaching out to 8 of your employees (both former and current) just to merely get an initial response. Now it took almost 7 days and a complaint to the Revdex.com in order to get another response. What's going on at your San Diego branch is appalling. It’s no coincidence that your Yelp reviews cite the same questionable activity. To state that your actions were in the best interest of the owner and renter as you may claim is completely invalid. I believe that an investigation should be conducted at your facility in order to protect other property owners who may not be as proactive. Your company needs to reevaluate how it conducts its business.As I've stated before, I expect nothing less than a full refund of $558.53 and it should be rendered immediately. This was an unauthorized, unjustified, and fraudulent charge that was excessive and unrealistic. It's unlawful for your company to be entitled to the payment for work at your client's expense.

This letter is in regard to the customer response to the above complaint ID. While we understand and can appreciate the concerns of the customer, we unfortunately are standing by our position. Section 5d, Authority and Powers, of the Professional Management Agreement signed by Ms. [redacted] states the following:“Owner authorizes and grants absolute discretion to Utopia, its affiliates, agents, successors, and assigns the exclusive right and authority, at Owner’s sole expense, to:Make or cause to be made repairs, improvements, alterations, and decorations to the Managed Property.; order materials, supplies, and services for the Managed Property; and pay from funds held on account for the Managed Property invoices and bills for such materials, supplies, and services. Owner shall pay all expenses incurred by Utopia at the Managed Property immediately upon demand....”As stated in the initial response to this complaint, we do not believe that arefund is due for the services rendered as it was deemed that the corrected issues were a threat to the property and the safety of the tenant. Additionally, we have made adjustments to Ms. [redacted]s account to reflect that she would like to be notified of maintenance requests as they arrive so that she may take an active role in maintaining the property (it is to be noted that this notation is simply a courtesy that we try to, but cannot always, accommodate). We again, extend our sincerest apologies for any confusion or inconvenience.

I had the pleasure of meeting [redacted] when he came to my home to repair/replace an outside lighting fixture. He was very polite , courteous and professional., His customer service is A+++ Utopia Management should be proud to have an employee of [redacted]'s greatness I love Utopia management and I will stick with them for as long as I can.

I am using Utopia Management Inc repeated services for over 5 years. I have found the management very cooperative which is the main reason why I have continued with Utopia Management Inc. The support system and marketing capabilities are exceptional while they have delivered as per their commitment.

I felt very welcomed and very comfortable during the viewings as well as in the office due to [redacted]. He was very professional, and provided me with all the required information and answered all my queries to the upmost standard . Due to his sufficiency it enabled me to attain all the required information and documentation. In general He was welcoming, friendly and professional thus I am very pleased with the services provided.

To whom it may concern:When a new owner signs on with Utopia Management to manage their property, their is a managerial contract that is signed by all parties as to how to handle the potential unfortunate situation if a new tenant should not pay.  Unfortunately this tenant proved to be a...

non-paying tenant at the end of his contract.  Utopia worked with the owner, through what had been laid out in the contract, and acted appropriate to that end.  It was not the best situation to navigate through when a tenant stops paying the rent, but the management agreement sets out the road map that was followed.  All protocols that needed to be followed were done so correctly and in accordance with the managerial contract.  We understand the frustration of ownership but at no time did Utopia act outside of the initial road map of the contract. Here is the section of the signed management agreement in which the Owner who wrote this complaint is now not agreeing to.   a)        Other Compensation.  Owner acknowledges and agrees Utopia may: 1.) receive fees and charges from tenants for (i) requesting an assignment of lease or sublease of the Managed Property; (ii) processing credit applications; (iii) returned checks; (iv) late rent; (v) verification of rent; and (vi) other services that are not in conflict with this Agreement; 2.) perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise including products and services for the Managed Property, through independent contractors or affiliated companies or organizations in which Utopia may own an interest, and Utopia and/or the affiliated companies or organizations may receive fees, commissions, and/or profits arising from such products and services; and 3.) receive fees, gifts, rebates or other compensation from Utopia’s vendors in connection with products or services performed for the Managed Property or pursuant to this Agreement (e.g. carpet, painting, window covering, plumbing, pool, trash and insurance products and services). Owner acknowledges and agrees Utopia may allocate and account for compensation, fees, and charges due under this Agreement, in any manner acceptable to Utopia including but not limited to business development expense. Owner agrees to pay Utopia a Vendor Service Fee of ten percent (10%) of the total invoiced amount for all non-recurring work performed by outside vendors as coordinated by Utopia.  Utopia, at its sole and absolute discretion and without any obligation to do so, may attempt to collect money from delinquent former tenant(s) no longer residing or no longer having a right to reside at the Managed Property.  Utopia may make arrangements with Owner to allocate and distribute a portion of receipts from collection accounts at Utopia’s discretion.  After the Termination Date, all rights and benefits to collect money from delinquent former tenant(s) of the Managed Property as of the Termination Date are hereby automatically assigned to Utopia without any obligation of Utopia to seek collection.  Thank you,Palm Springs Property Manager[redacted] Cell[redacted] Office

We rented a townhouse from Utopia Management Inc. for over four years, I have to say that it was a pleasure to rent from Andrew and his team. Rarely have we dealt with a more professional team that are so good at what they do. Any issues we had were dealt with promptly and beyond our expectations. I would highly recommend friends and family of mine if the chance became available to rent from Utopia Management Inc.

Utopia Management Inc. have acted on my behalf as my property agent for a number of years and I have been very satisfied with the service they provide.Just recently my current tenant announced their intention to vacate my property and found a replacement tenant very quickly which will result in no vacant occupancy. Utopia Management Inc. kept me well informed on the progress and have dealt with me in a friendly, enthusiastic and professional manner.I am very happy with the way things have gone during the process of finding a new tenant.

My name is Thomas Wilson .My Wife and I hired Utopia Management Inc. to find tenants for our house .They do a very good job: good client presentation,especially [redacted] ,he was very helpful for Landlord in many suggestions to prepare the house to attract prospective tenants.They are also very professional in preparing leasing paperwork to protect both parties especially for the owner of the property. Thanks and We highly recommend them.

Date:  3/23/2016To:  [redacted], Revdex.com San Diego, Orange & Imperial CountiesFrom:  Patricia Terry, Utopia ManagementRe:  ComplaintRegarding [redacted]'s complaint, I wanted to provide you with status.  We reached out directly to [redacted] the day the complaint was...

filed.  I personally went out to the home to inspect the issues that were reported and put in a request for work to be done per the tenant's specifications.  Based on our research, Ms. [redacted]'s complaint the result of a breakdown in communication between our maintenance coordinator and the tech assigned to originally complete the work.  After my visit, work was done within 48 hours and upon contacting Ms. [redacted], we were advised that we had satisfactorily resolved the issue.

This issue has been resolved with the tenants. Please let me know if you need anything further. I have also requested that they send you conformation of resolution.   [redacted]Utopia ManagementPH: 858-598-1111 [redacted]FAX: [redacted]www.utopiamanagement.com If you...

have had a positive experience with us, please leave us feedback on google or yelp! If your experience was less than stellar, please contact me to see how we can improve your experience.

Dear Sir or Madam:We are in receipt of the complaint made by [redacted] regarding the repair issues. Mr. [redacted]informed Utopia Management that the property would be cleaned and ready for an inspection byJanuary 2, 2015. However, because of a delay in exterior work that needed to be completed,...

theproperty was not available for inspection until after January 17th. During the initial inspectionwe found several items of refuse in the home, dead bug in the bathrooms, and heavily soiledcarpet in the dining room, living room, and master bedroom.Utopia Management imposes a high standard of cleanliness for all of our rental units. We adviseall property owners. to have units professionally cleaned prior to a tenant taking possession ofany rental home. Mr. [redacted] claims to have had a deep cleaning of the unit in addition to a carpetcleaning. However, if a deep clean was performed on a vacancy, it is reasonable to expect thatthe cleaning company would have removed any remaining items as part of their service. Duringthe first inspection there was no evidence of professional carpet cleaners.A thorough cleaning is essential to a successful move in. During any inspection we pay specialattention to the following areas that often get missed: window sills, window tracks, insidedrawers and cabinets, ceiling fans, screens, underneath the cook tops on stoves, inside ovens,behind and underneath the refrigerator, sliding door tracks, blinds, shower door tracks,washer/dryer (including wash basin, lint filters, dispensers, etc.) and cobwebs. None of the aboveitems were completed during the first inspection. Mr. [redacted] was advised of the need foradditional cleaning of the unit. After much deliberation, he eventually allotted $200 to performthe necessary services. However, with the size of the home, more funds were needed tocomplete the necessary work. Unfortunately, the vendors we assigned to perform the work calledfrom the property to advise that $200 would not to be sufficient due to the condition of the home.Therefore as per Section 5d) Repair/Maintenance of the Management Agreement, the property"Owner authorizes and grants absolute discretion to utopia, its affiliates, agents, successors, andassigns the exclusive right and authority, at Owner's sole expense, to: Make or cause to be maderepairs, improvements; alterations, and decorations to the Managed Property: order materials,supplies, and services for the Managed Property; and pay for funds held on account for theManaged Property invoices and bills for such materials, supplies, and services." Mr. [redacted]insisted that his tenants take possession by February 1, in opposition to the tenant's request for aFebruary 15th move in date. Due to the time constraints we had to act in both the tenant's andowners best interest and authorize the work and cost as advised by our vendors. A secondinspection was performed after the approved work was completed and it was verified that thehome met move in condition specifications. At this time we do not feel that any refund is due toMr. [redacted] for services provided due to the fact that the action taken benefitted his property and inthe long run will allow for him to hold his tenants liable to the same standard of cleanliness uponmove out.The maintenance request that was made on February 19, 2015 was responded to by UtopiaMaintenance on February 20, 20 1:5 at 3-:53pm. Mr. [redacted]'s request was not overlooked and wasresponded to in a timely manner. At this time Mr. [redacted] is in possession of the roofing estimate.We would like the opportunity to move forward from this and provide Mr. [redacted] with the qualityservice that he deserves. However, if Mr. [redacted] insists on being transferred to another portfoliowe have a manager ready to take on his account.We apologize for any inconvenience caused to Mr. [redacted] and we look forward to an amicableresolution. Sincerely,[redacted]Utopia Management